303 pages ; 24 cm

Alysa Levene looks at cakes both ancient and modern, from the Fruit Cake, to the Pound Cake, from the ubiquitous birthday cake to the Angel Food Cake, all the way up to competitive baking shows on television and our modern obsession with macaroons and cup cakes. Along the way, she shows how cakes are so much more than just a delicious sugar hit, and reflects on how and why cakes became the food to eat in times of celebration. Cake reflects cultural differences, whether it is the changing role of women in the home, the expansion of global trade, and even advances in technology

Includes bibliographical references (pages 263-291) and index

Introduction : What is a cake? -- 2000 BC (Before Cake) -- The secret meaning of fruit cake -- Butter, sugar, and slavery (or Queen Victoria's sandwich) -- Domestic goddesses -- The cardboard wedding cake -- The cake that travelled the world -- A cake just for you -- The original showstoppers -- The feminist cupcake -- Epilogue : A slice of history

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